


You Belong With Me

by shnixangel



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-17 19:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1399504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnixangel/pseuds/shnixangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry paused the game, pushed himself off the sofa in their shared suite and went into the makeshift kitchen.  He knew why Louis was in so much trouble with Eleanor – he’d been asked, in a live interview, how long they had been together and Louis couldn’t remember for the life of him how long it had been.</p>
<p>Harry liked to think that it was because Louis didn’t really care how long he’d been with Eleanor.  He also knew that he could’ve helped Louis out because he knew, pretty much to the day, how long Louis had been with Eleanor because that’s exactly how long he’d been feeling that he didn’t stand a chance with Louis.</p>
<p>They’d been together 2 years, 3 months and 5 days.  For 1 year before that, Harry had been telling himself that he didn’t love Louis, that he was just confusing his friendship with Louis with something more that shouldn’t be there.  And then, on the day that Louis had met Eleanor, he knew that what he felt was much stronger than friendship.  </p>
<p>Title is from Taylor Swift's You Belong To Me</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Belong With Me

Harry and Louis were sat playing FIFA when Louis’ phone rang. Harry could tell the instant that Louis looked at the screen that it was Eleanor.

‘Great. Really been looking forward to this conversation.’ Louis muttered to himself as he took a deep breath and answered the phone. ‘Hey El…’

Harry could hear the screeching down the phone, effectively cutting Louis off. Harry watched with sympathy as Louis tried to get a word in edgeways, but was unsuccessful every time.

Harry paused the game, pushed himself off the sofa in their shared suite and went into the makeshift kitchen. He knew why Louis was in so much trouble with Eleanor – he’d been asked, in a live interview, how long they had been together and Louis couldn’t remember for the life of him how long it had been.

Harry liked to think that it was because Louis didn’t really care how long he’d been with Eleanor. He also knew that he could’ve helped Louis out because he knew, pretty much to the day, how long Louis had been with Eleanor because that’s exactly how long he’d been feeling that he didn’t stand a chance with Louis.

They’d been together 2 years, 3 months and 5 days. For 1 year before that, Harry had been telling himself that he didn’t love Louis, that he was just confusing his friendship with Louis with something more that shouldn’t be there. And then, on the day that Louis had met Eleanor, he knew that what he felt was much stronger than friendship. 

It had been like a knife through his heart when he saw the smile on Louis’ face when Eleanor had shyly approached them both. 

When Louis had asked his opinion on Eleanor and whether he thought that they could make a long distance relationship work, Harry had struggled so hard to be the supportive best friend that Louis needed right then. Outwardly he’d told Louis that if she was the right girl, then they’d make things work but inwardly, his heart was screaming at him that the only person that Louis should be with was Harry and that there was no way that she could ever love Louis as much as Harry knew he could … that he did.

Harry fiddled with the kettle, trying to busy himself and not eavesdrop but he couldn’t deny that he secretly loved every row that they had – he told himself that one day, it would all end and that he could tell Louis how he felt. But as the kettle boiled, he could hear Louis telling her repeatedly that he was sorry and that he loved her and that he’d do anything for her.

*** 

Harry couldn’t understand sometimes how he and Eleanor were as important as each other to Louis. They were so monumentally different, and not just because she was female and he was male. Their sense of humours were totally different and Harry knew that Eleanor didn’t really get Louis’ sense of humour, which he found astounding because in his opinion, Louis was the funniest guy he’d ever met. 

Sometimes, Eleanor will gang up on Louis with Harry, without Harry ever having meant to be ganging up on Louis and it annoys him, the way that she thinks that she knows Louis as well as Harry because she doesn’t. She can’t ever know him like Harry does. Their shared history, from being teenagers to competing on The X Factor, to losing and then to their entire lives being turned upside down, there is no way that Eleanor can ever know Louis as well as Harry does. Sure, she gets to share a bed with him and talk in the dark, but so does Harry. Most nights, despite the fact that their hotel rooms are generally a suite with two adjoining bedrooms, they always end up sharing a bed together because only they can completely understand what the other one is going through.

Their friendship has always been incredibly easy, from the moment they met at Boot Camp. They instantly got each other and Harry knows that their friendship sometimes sends the other boys mad with annoyance because they back each other up endlessly and if Louis is playing a prank on someone, Harry is always there, helping or supporting in any way that he can.

*** 

Louis lets out a big sigh as he puts his phone down. ‘Jesus Christ, you’d think that I’d murdered someone the way she went off at me!’ He groaned, standing up and joining Harry in the kitchen.

‘Really mad huh?’ Harry asked, trying to sound casual about it all.  
‘I thought that was it. I mean, I know I should know roughly how long we’ve been together, but life is so busy, we hardly have any time to think in this job, that I just can’t remember! A couple of years? Something like that?’ Louis asks, opening the fridge and leaning in, hoping to find something to eat.

‘2 years, 3 months and 5 days.’ Harry mutters to himself, stirring the tea.

Louis looked up at him curiously. ‘What did you say?’

Harry dropped the teaspoon into the tea cup, blushing furiously. ‘Nothing.’ He said quickly.

Louis stood up and closed the fridge door. ‘Tell me.’ He asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

‘Erm, well, look, I just remember these things, that’s all – I’m good at Maths, I guess. It’s been 2 years, 3 months and 5 days.’ Harry mumbled quietly, retrieving the teaspoon and putting it into the sink.

Louis watched thoughtfully as Harry picked up his cup and walked back towards the sofa.

***

Niall let out a frustrated sigh as Louis continued to fidget next to him, tapping his short nails on the table in front of them.

‘Ok, spit it out. What the hell is wrong with you?’ Niall eventually snapped. He was tired, there was no food on the tour bus and whilst normally he’d be much more sympathetic to whatever was wrong with Louis, he just didn’t have the energy to be kind. 

Louis looked up in surprise. ‘What? Nothing’s wrong.’ He said defensively, continuing to drum his fingers on the table.

Niall put his hand over Louis’ gently. ‘Tell me.’ He said again, realising that antagonising Louis wasn’t the way to go. He’d known Louis long enough to know that he’d only talk if and when he wanted to.

Louis looked down again, his long eyelashes casting a shadow over his cheeks in the dim glow of the tour bus. ‘I think…well, I don’t exactly know for sure, but …’ He trailed off, not entirely sure what he wanted to say.

Niall raised his eyebrows questioningly at him. ‘Just say it. You can’t shock me!’

Louis let out a weak laugh. ‘Why has Harry never had a serious relationship?’

Niall sat back, confused by the question. ‘What do you mean?’

‘He has women throwing themselves at him all the time but he never does anything. He might have the odd one night stand, but it’s very rare and I don’t understand why.’ Louis explained.

Niall took his hand from Louis’ and ran it through his hair. ‘I’ve never had a serious relationship either. He’s not the only one.’

Louis looked at him scathingly. ‘You aren’t exactly an angel when it comes to hook ups though, are you mate?’

Niall laughed loudly. ‘Alright, point taken!’  
‘So why doesn’t Harry do what you do?’

Niall sat for a moment, whilst he tried to phrase his next sentence carefully. ‘Perhaps there is someone but he’s not ready to tell them or settle down.’ He answered truthfully. He knew full well about Harry’s feelings for Louis, despite the fact they’d never discussed them but he wasn’t blind – in fact, he was fairly sure that even a blind man could work out Harry’s true feelings.

‘Then why has he never mentioned anyone to us? To me? I’m his best mate – we tell each other everything.’ Louis admitted.

‘And you take the piss out of me for being a fan girl sometimes – you talk about everything?!’ Niall laughed.

Louis glared and Niall immediately stopped. ‘Woah, ok, just having a laugh!’  
‘So why hasn’t he told me?’  
‘I think, maybe, he doesn’t want to run the risk of changing anything between him and … this person and he’s afraid of what might happen if he’s turned down.’

‘Who in their right mind turns down Harry Styles?!’ Louis burst out laughing.

Niall didn’t say anything. Instead he stood up and turned back to face Louis. ‘I think you need to think long and hard about this and then talk to him.’

Louis watched in pure confusion as Niall made his way to his bunk.

*** 

Several weeks passed. Harry continued to pine over Louis and Louis began to notice more and more subtleties about Harry that he’d never noticed before.

Like the way that Harry always did his best to sit next to him in interviews, how he watched Louis when he thought Louis didn’t know and most tellingly, how he stayed silent during conversations that included Eleanor and how he ignored her, almost to the point of rudeness, whenever she was with the band. And in return, Louis found himself trying not to mention her name and whenever she suggested coming to see them for a night, discouraging her as much as he could get away with. He found himself including Harry in things that he wouldn’t have done before and when he realised that he’d gone a week without a proper cuddle, because of discouraging Eleanor to join them, he found himself seeking out Harry’s touch.

*** 

Niall let out a frustrated sigh. He’d just got into bed, it was 2am and there was a knock on his front door. Pushing back the duvet, he stumbled out of bed, out of the bedroom, through the corridor and to the front door. Looking through the spyhole, he let out another, quieter, sigh.

‘Lou, you are aware it’s 2am, aren’t you?’ He asked as he opened the door and stood aside to let his friend in.

‘Is it me?’ Louis asked nervously.

Niall shook his head in confusion. ‘Is what you?’

Louis fiddled with the strap of his watch and walked into the lounge. Niall rolled his eyes, closed the front door and followed him through.

‘Is what you mate?’ Niall asked again.  
‘Am I the reason…erm…that Harry hasn’t ever had a serious relationship?’ Louis asked quietly, watching for Niall’s reaction.

‘Oh.’ Niall said. Several seconds passed whilst he mentally argued with himself in his head, trying to decide on whether he kept Harry’s secret that he’d never told him but that Niall was 100% sure of or whether he put Louis out of his misery.

Louis sat down on the sofa, resting his head in his hands and let out a groan. ‘How did I not know this before?’

Niall grimaced, the decision having been taken out of his hands. He sat down next to Louis and put a hand on his back. ‘I think we need whiskey for this conversation.’

Louis looked up at him, his eyes wide. ‘It’s that bad a conversation that we need whiskey?’ He asked worriedly.

Niall got up and headed into the kitchen muttering to himself about needing more than one bottle.

*** 

It was gone 5am when Louis left. Niall felt very sorry for him because Louis just seemed a bit dazed and confused by the whole thing and incredibly stupid for never having noticed all the signs which were blinking in neon pink lights in front of him.

*** 

‘So, good news about Lou and El, isn’t it?’ Niall said quietly, sitting down next to Harry on the tour bus.

Harry looked at him, eyebrows creased. ‘What news?’ 

Niall raised his eyebrows. ‘You don’t know?’ He asked, genuinely surprised.  
‘Don’t know what?’ Harry breathed.

‘They, … they broke up.’ Niall told him, watching for his reaction.

Harry’s jaw dropped open in surprise. ‘What?! When did that happen?’  
‘He told me yesterday.’ Niall replied, very surprised that Louis hadn’t mentioned it to Harry yet – he thought it had been common knowledge. Zayn and Liam had been talking about it earlier, so perhaps Harry was the only one of the five of them who didn’t know. ‘I thought you’d have been the first to know.’

Harry shrugged, looking away. ‘Guess you were wrong.’ He mumbled, before standing up, heading to the bunks and hiding himself away.

*** 

It was three weeks later when Harry finally approached Louis about why he hadn’t told him about him and Eleanor.

‘So, you going to tell me what’s been going on?’ Harry asked as they sat on the roof terrace of Harry’s house in London. 

‘Hmm?’ Louis asked, taking a mouthful of beer.

‘Why didn’t you tell me about you and El? What happened?’

Louis blushed slightly and let out a long breath. ‘It just wasn’t working. We fought so much, you know that, you heard us arguing on the phone way too often. I guess my heart just wasn’t in it anymore.’ He explained, trying to keep his voice even despite the fact that his heart was racing.

‘That doesn’t explain why you told the others before me and I heard it from Niall.’ Harry said, still a little hurt.

Louis took another mouthful of beer, taking his time swallowing it down. ‘I, er, I wasn’t sure how you’d react.’ He admitted honestly.

‘What’s it got to do with me?’ Harry asked, staring off towards the city, resolutely not looking in Louis’ direction.

‘It’s got everything to do with you.’ Louis replied, setting down his empty beer bottle on the floor.

Harry blinked, squeezing his eyes together tightly and staring at a fixed point in the distance.

‘I know, H.’ Louis told him quietly, leaning over and resting his hand on Harry’s shoulder.

Harry swallowed past the lump in his throat. ‘What? What do you know?’ He asked, his voice almost a whisper.

Looking far braver than he felt, Louis stood up and knelt down in front of Harry, taking Harry’s hands in his own. ‘Look at me.’

Harry closed his eyes, tilted his head back and shook his head vehemently. 

‘You should’ve just told me.’ Louis said quietly.  
‘There’s nothing to tell.’ Harry lied.

Taking another deep breath, Louis stood up and pulled hard on Harry’s hands, pulling him up with him.

Harry opened his eyes, but stared directly over Louis’ head as the older man began to talk.

‘I’ve always, erm, always been attracted to women and to men. But… I was told in no uncertain terms by Management that I had to be straight, had to appear to be straight for the good of the band. And when I met Eleanor, I did like her, I was attracted to her, but I knew from the start that she wasn’t going to be the person I grew old with, that I settled down with. And there was always a small part of me that knew I … I had feelings for you that I shouldn’t have done. And I never knew that you might feel the same way.’

‘How did you know?’ Harry asked, taking a chance and glancing down at Louis, before immediately looking away.

‘Niall told me.’ Louis replied, squeezing Harry’s hands gently.

‘I never told him anything. I’ve never told anyone anything.’ Harry whispered, almost to himself.

‘Apparently I was the blind one in not seeing how you might feel about me.’ Louis replied quietly.

Harry looked directly at Louis. ‘What? What do you mean?’   
‘Apparently a blind man would know you have feelings for me.’ Louis laughed softly. ‘Only I didn’t and I’m so sorry. Am … do you?’ He asked, swallowing past the hard lump in his throat.

‘Do I what?’ Harry asked, feeling quite traumatised by the fact that his feelings for Louis had been so evident to everyone. Apart from Louis, apparently.

‘Oh my god, do I really have to spell it out?’ Louis asked with a very nervous laugh. ‘Do you have feelings for me?’

‘I dunno. Do you have feelings for me?’ Harry asked, suddenly feeling incredibly brave.

Louis raised his eyebrows at him. ‘I’m kind of laying my heart on the line here and you ask me if I have feelings for you?! Yes, you idiot. I do.’

Harry let out a breath that he hadn’t realised he’d been holding and smiled down at Louis. ‘From, like, day one.’

Louis laughed and let out another deep breath. ‘I’m sorry I never knew.’ He apologised.

Harry entwined his fingers with Louis’. ‘Can I kiss you?’

Louis mockingly considered it for 3 seconds. ‘Of course you can.’

Closing his eyes, Harry took a step forward. ‘Are you sure?’ He asked.

‘Just kiss me!’ Louis laughed, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips to Harry’s for their first kiss.


End file.
